ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,337,682 CORD CADDY James B. Swett, Harrington, R.l., assignor to Rexall Drug and Chemical Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 452,308 6 Claims. (Cl. 174-135) This invention generally relates to containers, specifically to containers of the type wherein a running length of cord such as that utilized in connection with electrical appliances and the like may be conveniently and tidily stored therein and whereby the over-all length thereof may be easily increased or decreased.

Cords that are generally utilized with electrical appliances such as lamps and the like present inconvenience and possible accident hazards in that it is often required that they be of a length far greater than that which their immediate use requires. Accordingly, as such appliances are frequently moved to various operating positions in which different outlets are utilized, it is quite common to view in the household unsightly and potentially dangerous coils of cord placed in corners, beneath tables, chairs .and the like. While this invention is particularly adapted for use with running lengths of electrical extension cords and the like, it should be brought out at this time that it is not limited solely thereto and that utility exists in conjunction with rope, twine and other such articles or elements generally similar to cords in their properties or appearance.

It is thus an object of this invention to provide a container wherein running lengths of cord may be conveniently stored and wherein provision is made for conveniently playing out portions of the cord temporarily held within the container so that the overall effective length of the cord-like member may be easily increased or decreased.

It is also another object of this invention to provide a container for cords and the like wherein a running length of such cord may enter one side thereof, exit from another side thereof and through the coaction of such container and a closure therefor, be capable of suspension by the lengths of incoming and outgoing cord.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a container for running lengths of cord and the like wherein such cord is provided with bulky socket outlets or the like and wherein such items may be held within such container along with varying lengths of cord connected thereto and thus provide means by which such outlets or the like are safely withheld from active consideration by small children and pets.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

The aforementioned objectives of the present invention are achieved by the provision of a container which has upwardly directed side walls in which one or more cutouts are provided therein for receipt of running lengths of cord and wherein such cord is partially retained therein by the coaction of portions of a closure for the container side walls and base portions of said cut-outs.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the cord holder of the present invention and illustrates particularly how such cord holder can be utilized to temporarily store running lengths of cord and wherein such cord may be utilized to suspend the cord holder;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the container of the present cord holder and shows in particular a preferred disposition of cut-outs provided therein;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view in elevation of the container shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing taken along the like 3-3 thereof with the closure portion in place thereon showing one relationship between the cord and the cord holder:

FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional elevational view on an enlarged scale through one cut-out portion of the cord holder shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing; and,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 2 but on a reduced scale showing the container portion of the cord holder as utilized in storage conjunction with an outlet plug or the like provided along the running length of the cord therein depicted.

Throughout the specification, like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts.

Referring now to the drawings, the cord holder 10 of the present invention includes a container 11 and a closure 12 therefor. The container 11 is provided at the bottom thereof with a base portion 13 shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawing as being, but not necessarily, solid and imperforate. Alternatively the base may as shown in the dotted lines in FIGURE 3 be provided with an upward domes'haped spacing member 13a so as to promote the looping characteristics of the cord C in use so as to more closely resemble the generally W-shaped disposition thereof as shown in FIGURE 3. In thi manner longer running lengths of cord may be stored within container 11 as well as enhancing the ease and neatness in accomplishing such.

The peripheral portions of the base 13 are provided with upwardly directed side walls S having a first side wall portion 14 and a second side wall portion laterally outwardly ofifset from the first side wall portion 14 by means of a transition side wall 16. Such transition side wall 16 provides a ledge L inwardly thereof upon which outlet plugs and the like as depicted by the reference numeral P in FIGURE 5 of the drawing may conveniently be disposed.

The top portion of the side walls S of the container 11 may be provided with a terminal flange 17 outwardly and laterally offset thereof and exhibiting a terminal rim 18 thereupon. The peripheral continuity of the rim 18 is. shown as broken by a pair of cut-outs 19 which are generally longitudinally disposed within the side walls S and are of a U-shaped configuration. It should be brought out at this time although a pair of opposed cut-outs 19 are depicted in the drawing, a single cut-out or three or more cut-outs may be utilized depending upon the number of cords C to be held within the container portion 11 of the cord holder 10 and the end uses to be made of such.

Each cut-out 19 is provided with a base 20 which is in turn provided with a projecting ledge portion 21 which is preferably, as best shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings, upwardly and outwardly directed so as to more closely conform to the desired disposition of the cord C in use as will hereinafter be more clearly brought out. The cutouts 19 are further provided with side wall portions 22 so as to complete the U-shaped configuration thereof. The lateral spacing between the side wall portions 22 of any given cut-out 19 will as readily may be ascertained limit the girth of the cord to be utilized therewith as each cut-out 19 is provided with a longitudinal extent far in excess of such lateral spacing between the side wall portions 22 so as to provide longitudinal spacing by means of coaction between cord C and the closure 12 as will also hereinafter be more fully brought out.

The relationship between the closure 12 and the side walls S of the container 11 is most clearly shown by reference to FIGURE 4 of the drawings wherein closure 12 is shown as being comprised of a depressed central wall portion 23 having a downwardly opening U-shaped periphery. This U-shaped periphery is composed of an inner wall 24, a connecting wall 25 and an outer wall or peripherally downwardly extending lip 26. The lip 26 terminates in a peripheral terminus 27. As best illustrated in FIGURE 4, inner portions of the lip are adapted to contact outer portions of the side walls S in such a manner that the lip terminus 27 is outwardly and laterally displaced a slight distance from the base 20 and ledge portions 21 of the cut-outs 19. It should also be pointed out that the relationship between the closure 12 and the container 11 is such that the lip terminus 27 is longitudinally spaced from the base 20 of each cut-ut 19 a distance which is slightly greater than the lateral spacing between the side wall portions 22 thereof. Thus a cord C threaded through at least one cut-out 19 will assume the disposition of a reverse curve when utilized to support the cord holder or when otherwise generally longitudinally disposed such as shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing. Thus a cord C will contact the lip terminus 27 to the right as shown in FIGURE 4 and will contact base 20 and preferably the extension 21 thereof to the left of the drawing. Such respective contact with upper and lower portions of cord C forces the cord into a reverse curve disposition and may be increased by more extensive contact with the extension 21 where such extension is upwardly and outwardly directed as shown.

Such reverse curve disposition increases frictional contact between the cord holder 10 and the cord C and thus acts in the manner of a brake wherein a cord holder supported by a cord C such as shown in FIGURE 1 will not permit, at least in normal use, a cord C slipping through one or more of the cut-outs 19. However, when such slippage is desired, the cord holder 10 need be only placed in supporting contact with its base 13 so as to relieve the braking effect provided by the reverse curved disposition of the cord C and thus the cord may be freely slid along in contacting position with the base 20 while out of contact with the lip terminus 27.

While the lip terminus 27 as shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings is laterally offset from the base 20 and projecting ledge 21 by a combination means through the provision of a peripheral flare 17 and a bead means 28 provided at the inner side of the lip 26, it should be set out that this lateral offset may be accomplished by the sole provision of the outwardly offset flare 17 in combination with a non-beaded straight lip 26 or through the sole provision of a peripheral side wall portion exhibiting no outward flare in combination with a peripherally downwardly projecting lip 26 having an enlarged bead means 28 thereupon.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the desired ends set forth; however, attention is directed to the fact that variations may be made in the example cord holder herein disclosed such as the provision of polygonal side walls rather than the circular configuration illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A holder for cords and the like including a container and closure therefor,

(a) said container having a bottom wall and upwardly longitudinally directed side walls, said side walls terminating in a peripheral ri-m,

(b) at least one generally U-shaped cut-out longitudinally disposed in said side walls and interrupting the continuity of said rim, said cut-out having a generally curved base adapted for receipt of cords and the like,

(c) said closure comprising a central wall portion having an integral and downwardly extending peripheral lip wherein inner portions of said lip contact outer portions of said side walls, the terminus of said lip being longitudinally spaced from the base of each cut-out a distance at least slightly greater than the lateral extent of said cut-out at the base end thereof and in addition slightly laterally outwardly displaced from said cut-out base so that a generally longitudinal extent of cord threaded through said cut-out will by necessity assume a reverse curve disposition by contact with portions of said base and said lip.

2. A holder for cords and the like including a container and closure therefor,

(a) said container having a bottom wall and upwardly longitudinally directed side walls, said side walls terminating in a peripheral rim,

(b) at least a pair of longitudinally disposed generally U-shaped cut-out spaced from each other along said side walls and interrupting the continuity of said rim, said cut-outs having a generally curved base adapted for receipt of cords and the like,

(c) said closure comprising a central wall portion having an integral and downwardly extending peripheral lip wherein inner portions of said lip contact outer portions of said side walls, the terminus of said lip being longitudinally spaced from the base of said cut-outs a distance at least slightly greater than the lateral extent of said cut-outs at the base end thereof and in addition slightly laterally outwardly displaced from the base of said cut-outs so that a generally longitudinal extent of cord threaded through one of said cut-outs will by necessity assume a reverse curve disposition by contact with portions of said base and said lip.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the upper portion of the side walls is outwardly flared so as to provide for the lateral outward displacement of said lip terminus in relation to said out-out base.

4. The structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein the inner portion of said lip is provided with bead means for contact with outer portions of said side walls so as to provide for the lateral outward displacement of said lip terminus in relationship to said cut-out base.

5. A holder for cords and the like including a container and closure therefor,

(a) said container having a bottom wall, a first side wall portion upwardly directed therefrom, a second side wall portion laterally outwardly offset from said first side wall portion upwardly directed therefrom, said second side wall portion terminating in a peripheral rim,

(b) at least a pair of longitudinally disposed generally U-shaped cut-outs spaced in generally opposed relationship to each other along said rim, each of said cut-outs having a generally curved base, said base having an outwardly laterally projecting ledge for contacting receipt of a cord disposed within said cut outs,

(c) said closure comprising a central wall portion having an intergral and downwardly extending peripheral lip wherein inner portions of said lip contact outer portions of said side walls, the terminus of said lip being longitudinally spaced from the base of each cut-out a distance at least slightly greater than the lateral extent of said cut-out at the base end thereof and in addition slightly laterally outwardly displaced from said cut-out base so that a generally longitudinal extent of cord threaded through said cut-out will by necessity assume a reverse curve disposition by contact with portions of said base and said lip.

6. In combination, a cord and holder therefor,

(a) said holder including a container and closure therefor,

said container having a bottom wall and upwardly longitudinally directed sidewalls, such side walls terminating in an outwardly flared rim,

a pair of longitudinally disposed generally U- shaped cut-outs placed in opposed relationship to each other'along said sidewalls and interrupting the continuity of said outwardly flared peripheral rim, said cut-outs having a generally curved base adapted for the receipt of a running length of cord,

said closure comprising a central wall portion having an integral and downwardly extending peripheral lip wherein inner portions of said lip contact outer portions of said sidewalls, the terminus of said lip being longitudinally spaced from the base of said cut-outs a distance slightly greater than the lateral extent of said cut-outs at the base end thereof and are in addition laterally outwardly spaced from the base of said cut-outs,

(b) said cord having a running length thereof enclosed within said holder and ends thereof projecting outwardly and upwardly from said opposed U- shaped cut-outs, said ends of said cord each in contact with and held in a reverse curve configuration by the base surface of said cut-outs and the downward terminus of said closure peripheral lip and, (c) said holder supported solely by said cord.